1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communication and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for transmitting data.
2. Related Art
Today, Machine to Machine (M2M) or Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging as a primary issue of the next generation communication market. M2M/IoT technology allows objects in the everyday environment to be connected to one another through a network and enables people to obtain and deliver necessary information anytime and anywhere, based on which various kinds of new services can be provided. Networks of sensors operating within a limited area and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems formed the initial implementation of the M2M technology. Taking into account mobility of objects, a broad service coverage including the seaside as well as islands and mountainous regions, convenience of network operation and maintenance, security for highly reliable data transmission, and guaranteed service quality, public interest in the M2M communication based on a mobile communication network is getting higher.
The 3GPP, the standard development body for mobile communication technology standards headquartered in Europe, is also operating a standardization process in its full capacity since 2008 under the title of “Machine Type Communication (MTC)”, originating from a feasibility study on the M2M communication at 2005.
From the perspective of the 3GPP standard, a “machine” refers to an object which does not require direct control or intervention of a human, and the “MTC” is defined as one form of data communication consisting of one or more machines.
The 3GPP refers to smart meters, vending machines, and others equipped with a mobile communication module as typical examples of the machine. Due to the advent of smart phones capable of connecting to a network automatically and performing communication without a user's operation or intervention depending on the user's location or circumstances, mobile terminals having an MTC function is also considered as one form of the machine. MTC devices in the form of micro-sensors based on the IEEE 802.15 WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network) or gateways connected to RFID devices also belong to the family of the machine.
To accommodate a multitude of MTC devices transmitting and receiving a small amount of data, the mobile communication network of today requires identifiers and an address system different from the existing ones, and there may need a new mechanism taking into account communication and cost issues.